| Author: | Wang, Ziqian |
| Title: | Gender representations in China daily : a corpus-assisted discourse study |
| Advisors: | Liu, Ming (CBS) |
| Degree: | DALS |
| Year: | 2024 |
| Subject: | Chinese newspapers -- Language Discourse analysis Sex role -- Press coverage -- China Gender identity in mass media Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Faculty of Humanities |
| Pages: | xiv, 319 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | This research gives a corpus-assisted discourse study (CADS) of gender representations in China Daily from 2001 to 2020. The first two decades of the 21st century of China were marked by intensified socialist marketization and globalization. Existing studies on gender representation in Chinese media predominantly analyze the changing gender images in response to sociopolitical shifts through content analysis. However, less attention is given to how these gender images are shaped by linguistic choices at various levels and how these patterns unveil the interconnected relationships between gender ideologies, power dynamics, and the broader socio-political context. Utilizing theories and methods from corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis, this study examines gender representations in China Daily from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives. The analytical framework relies primarily on the three-dimensional analysis in the discourse-historical approach (DHA) (Wodak, 2001), supplemented by tools from van Leeuwen's social actor representation system (1996, 2008) and concepts from systemic functional grammar (Halliday, 1994). Methods from corpus linguistics (e.g., frequency, collocation, concordance) and quantitative content analysis (e.g., co-occurrent network) facilitated by computer-assisted tools (i.e., Sketch Engine and KH Coder) are employed to identify significant linguistic patterns in the corpus and sub-corpora. The findings from the synchronic perspective suggest that Chinese women are prominently featured in discourses related to fertility, marriage, and empowerment. The corpus overtly addresses women's binary roles between career and family, portraying females as less valuable and competent than their male counterparts in certain occupations. The over-representation of female modifier preceding occupational terms also implies existing gender segregation in contemporary Chinese workplaces. Conversely, Chinese men are prominently discussed in discourses related to crimes and violence, and depicted as important and capable even in female-dominated occupational sectors. Diachronically, women are more prominently represented in discourse related to individualization. They are portrayed as more financially independent, better employed, better-educated, more capable, and possessing more choices, suggesting an improvement in their socioeconomic status over time. For men, a noticeable trend is their increasing representation in violent discourse. Also, they are consistently collocated with lexical items associated with wealth, homosexuality, and male superiority. The evolving representations of Chinese women and men in China Daily reflect the rapid marketization and urbanization in China and their intricate relationship with traditional Confucian ideologies and patriarchal systems. Despite the persistence of traditional values, women in China are increasingly portrayed in a more progressive manner over the years. Linguistic evidence also indicates a trend toward reducing gender segregation in Chinese occupations, suggesting progress in workplace equality to a certain extent. However, it is essential to note that social biases towards female occupations and workplace discrimination against women, especially pregnant women, still persist, warranting further attention from both the government and society. The implications of this research extend to promoting fairer gender representation in media communication, which contributes to a more equitable society. Additionally, the data in the corpora reveal how the external social environment can impact the use of specific lexical items, highlighting the intricate relationship between language and society. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8031.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 8.4 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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